PLEASANT FIELDMOUSE'S VALENTINE TRICK

by Jan Wahl ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 1977

Living up to his name, Wahl's well-exercised fieldmouse arranges a Valentine celebration to lift the forest creatures from the ""sad and very ugly mood"" they fell into on Groundhog Day when Snug Groundhog refused to get out of bed and administer the traditional test of spring. Especially distressed by Mrs. Hedgehog's saying she ""hates"" Tired Fox--who, along with Terrible Owl, has robbed her larder while she was out waiting for Groundhog--Pleasant sends each animal a valentine signed with the name of his or her enemy, then invites them all to a party where a sleighful of presents awaits distribution and Owl and Fox, disarming everyone, are dressed as cupids. Then the two villains take off with the sleigh (""I should have worried,"" says Mrs. Hedgehog)--but, this being Valentine's Day, they are no sooner apprehended than invited to the party. Blegvad's Terrible Owl makes a comical cupid, and Wahl plots enough reversals (with Mrs. Hedgehog as a humorous chorus) to keep his audience awake. But the whole blend of sentiment and contrivance has a synthetic texture.

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 1977

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Windmill--dist. by Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1977

Categories: CHILDREN'S